After becoming fully invested in Natasha and Daniel's epic, whirlwind, "meant to be" love story, it's low-key devastating to watch as Natasha ends up being deported after all. With a literal ocean between them, the star-crossed lovers naturally drift apart. For years, they go on with their lives and try to forget each other. Nicola Yoon has crafted this story so masterfully that readers start to accept that maybe this ending was inevitable. It's certainly the most realistic.
And then…
The final chapter—Irene: An Alternate History—reignites our faith. As it turns out, Irene the USCIS security guard did not kill herself as she had planned to do. When Lester Barnes passes along Natasha's thanks, it's enough to make her feel "seen," and she gets help for her suicidal thoughts. Ultimately, Irene becomes a flight attendant. One day she sees Natasha seated on her plane and works up the courage to tell her about the simple gesture that saved her life 10 years earlier. Irene realizes she doesn't even know her name. Natasha introduces herself, and then a cute Korean man a few rows back says, "Natasha?" It's Daniel.
We are mildly obsessed with this ending. First of all, it's an amazing reminder of how much one moment that might seem insignificant to you could change somebody else's life. Yoon has woven stories of minor characters all through the text, and it's incredibly satisfying to see Irene's story come full-circle.
Of course, it's also a perfect ending because the readers can choose their own adventure. Now that Natasha and Daniel are on the same plane, will they finally get their happily ever after? Will they spend the whole flight to wherever catching up and then go their separate ways again? Will a nosy passenger in 11B tweet out their #couplegoals story? There are infinite possibilities in this moment, which is a phenomenal way to wrap up a book about fate.